RPS interview with John Tiller

[Ubercat]

Every time I notice this thread title I think, "Oh no! JT died!" and then I go "Oh yeah, RPS, not RIP."

[Apocalypse 31]

I just picked up Squad Battles: Modern War and Modern Campaigns: Danube 85.

Both enjoyable, but extremely difficult. I've played the tutorial mission for SB:MW about 20 times and have only been able to pull off a draw.

Both are also a little dated in the graphics department, but there are a few nice map mods that I picked up.

SB:MW is not as polished as Lock n Load, but very similar. Haven't played much, and kind of upset with no campaign.

Just curious, what are folks opinions on Modern Campaigns against Flashpoint Campaigns?

[z1812]

Flashpoint Campaigns and Squad Battles Modern War are at 2 different scales. Hex scale in FPCRS is more operational at 500 meters and SBMW is tactical at 50 meters. FPCRS is wego and SBMW is turn based.

Both are very good games. I don't see them competing but rather complimenting one another.

[Strela]

Hi All,

I'm the project lead for John Tiller's Panzer Battle's; Kursk.

I just want to clarify that the various graphics mods work with the later games. Jison has provide Map Mods right up to latest Panzer Campaign's release; Moscow '42 (also one of mine). For Kursk all the art files are fully modifiable and the map is done on the same basis as Squad Battles so any map mod from that series can be used if desired.

We believe (hopefully) we have buried the grumbles around graphics with the release of Panzer Battles, but if not you can fully mod them. We included three different counter sets so that players could either use the style they preferred or have extras slots for mods they wanted to add.

If you want some examples of the graphics and want to learn more about the development of the game there is a great thread her;

http://www.theblitz.org/message_boards/showthread.php?tid=65518

All our design notes, visual orders of battle, manuals & game maps are available for free from this page on John Tillers site under the file preview section. The visual order of battle has good examples of the new unit graphics as well as the depth that we have built the formations to.

http://www.johntillersoftware.com/PanzerBattles/BattlesOfKurskSouthern.html


Panzerde, go and play a later scenario, anything from July 8th is in much more open terrain.

Finally, we are making good progress with future titles in this game series but welcome any feedback.

David

[jomni]

I just picked up Squad Battles: Modern War and Modern Campaigns: Danube 85.

Both enjoyable, but extremely difficult. I've played the tutorial mission for SB:MW about 20 times and have only been able to pull off a draw.

Both are also a little dated in the graphics department, but there are a few nice map mods that I picked up.

SB:MW is not as polished as Lock n Load, but very similar. Haven't played much, and kind of upset with no campaign.

Just curious, what are folks opinions on Modern Campaigns against Flashpoint Campaigns?

Squad Battles MW Boot Camp is really hard.  Move on and play the other scenarios.

Graphics not so good but I'm easy to please.

There is a campaign. But it works differently. You play a single leader that you need to keep alive through a series of linked scenarios. Scoring is different from regular scenarios. Objectives and casualties do not count. Winning or losing does not count. What counts is to keep your leader alive as long as possible. But that is only half of it. Points are awarded to your leader as he rallies troops, gets shot at, or engages in combat. So no use putting him behind the lines as you won't be earning points. You have to risk his life which is counter to the survival objective.

[Bison]

Squad battles is an excellent series.  It's frankly the best vs the AI of all of the Tiller game series.

The problem with the Tiller UI and graphics is that it does not draw in new fans.  In fact I'd argue the opposite, it turns new wargamers and potential customers off.  Somewhere around here I started a thread discussing hex and counter wargames and compared the counters, maps, ect...when you start to look at how some of the various game designs compare visually; it's a pretty stark comparison.

Anyway I love Tiller games and have bought them for over a decade and a half, but I get less excited with each new release. 

[Tuna]

Squad battles is an excellent series.  It's frankly the best vs the AI of all of the Tiller game series.

The problem with the Tiller UI and graphics is that it does not draw in new fans.  In fact I'd argue the opposite, it turns new wargamers and potential customers off.  Somewhere around here I started a thread discussing hex and counter wargames and compared the counters, maps, ect...when you start to look at how some of the various game designs compare visually; it's a pretty stark comparison.

Anyway I love Tiller games and have bought them for over a decade and a half, but I get less excited with each new release.

I agree Bison, it turns off potential new fans!

[panzerde]

Strela, I will try some of the later scenarios. I do like the engine, and the supplemental material you guys put together is simply amazing. The unit icons are stellar - simply the best I've seen in any Tiller game.

As for MapMod, I'm running into issues with JTS Minsk and a friend of mine is seeing the same thing with JTS Danube Front. MapMod causes all kinds of graphical artifacts on titles that have the new map assets that resemble the maps in Kursk - Southern Front. So yes, while Jison has modded everything in PzC and MC released to date, it looks like recent JTS map changes are causing issues. I remember reading on a forum the Jison was aware of this, but I don't have a link handy.

I'm very hopeful that he makes versions that work with the newer JTS versions of the games. I do like the new style maps quite a bit but I like the MapMod maps too. If there's a trick I'm missing in using these with the JTS versions of these games please let me know so I can work around the issue!

[RyanE]

Flashpoint Campaigns and Squad Battles Modern War are at 2 different scales. Hex scale in FPCRS is more operational at 500 meters and SBMW is tactical at 50 meters. FPCRS is wego and SBMW is turn based.

Both are very good games. I don't see them competing but rather complimenting one another.

I think he was talking about comparing Op Flashpoint to Modern Campaigns, not SB Modern Wars

[Apocalypse 31]

Flashpoint Campaigns and Squad Battles Modern War are at 2 different scales. Hex scale in FPCRS is more operational at 500 meters and SBMW is tactical at 50 meters. FPCRS is wego and SBMW is turn based.

Both are very good games. I don't see them competing but rather complimenting one another.

I said Modern Campaigns, not squad battles

[Apocalypse 31]

Strela, I will try some of the later scenarios. I do like the engine, and the supplemental material you guys put together is simply amazing. The unit icons are stellar - simply the best I've seen in any Tiller game.

As for MapMod, I'm running into issues with JTS Minsk and a friend of mine is seeing the same thing with JTS Danube Front. MapMod causes all kinds of graphical artifacts on titles that have the new map assets that resemble the maps in Kursk - Southern Front. So yes, while Jison has modded everything in PzC and MC released to date, it looks like recent JTS map changes are causing issues. I remember reading on a forum the Jison was aware of this, but I don't have a link handy.

I'm very hopeful that he makes versions that work with the newer JTS versions of the games. I do like the new style maps quite a bit but I like the MapMod maps too. If there's a trick I'm missing in using these with the JTS versions of these games please let me know so I can work around the issue!

Look at the files for MapMod - the graphics don't line up to the original set, and the Hexsides file is completely off center. That's the problem.

I went in and manually edited the MapMod files to fix it, and it looks much better.

[Apocalypse 31]

Hi All,

I'm the project lead for John Tiller's Panzer Battle's; Kursk.

I just want to clarify that the various graphics mods work with the later games. Jison has provide Map Mods right up to latest Panzer Campaign's release; Moscow '42 (also one of mine). For Kursk all the art files are fully modifiable and the map is done on the same basis as Squad Battles so any map mod from that series can be used if desired.

We believe (hopefully) we have buried the grumbles around graphics with the release of Panzer Battles, but if not you can fully mod them. We included three different counter sets so that players could either use the style they preferred or have extras slots for mods they wanted to add.

If you want some examples of the graphics and want to learn more about the development of the game there is a great thread her;

http://www.theblitz.org/message_boards/showthread.php?tid=65518

All our design notes, visual orders of battle, manuals & game maps are available for free from this page on John Tillers site under the file preview section. The visual order of battle has good examples of the new unit graphics as well as the depth that we have built the formations to.

http://www.johntillersoftware.com/PanzerBattles/BattlesOfKurskSouthern.html


Panzerde, go and play a later scenario, anything from July 8th is in much more open terrain.

Finally, we are making good progress with future titles in this game series but welcome any feedback.

David

Some harsh criticism:  I think Mark Walkers team is miles ahead with the Lock n Load series, graphically speaking. Even Panzer Campaign graphics are looking a bit rough around the edges. Sorry if that's harsh to hear.

The first wargaming Dev to make a visually appealing game - to more than just the same crowd - will draw in a massive player base.

The problem with the Tiller UI and graphics is that it does not draw in new fans.  In fact I'd argue the opposite, it turns new wargamers and potential customers off.  Somewhere around here I started a thread discussing hex and counter wargames and compared the counters, maps, ect...when you start to look at how some of the various game designs compare visually; it's a pretty stark comparison.

[jomni]

Meh. I play Squad Battles a lot, PBEM and solo. I stopped playing Lock and Load because it is very gamey and puzzle like. Gameplay > Graphics.

[Apocalypse 31]

Meh. I play Squad Battles a lot, PBEM and solo. I stopped playing Lock and Load because it is very gamey and puzzle like. Gameplay > Graphics.

I said graphically speaking.

Surprising as it may be, I believe in the co-existance of graphics and gameplay. One day we will have a game that nails both.

[jomni]

Of course a game that has both will surely win.